Table of Contents
Acute myeloid leukemia is a variation of blood cancer that is popularly referred to as AML. In acute leukemia, cancer cells develop in the bone marrow of the patient and any part that facilitates the development of white blood cells. Acute myeloid leukemia may also form in other parts of the body too that primarily deal with making blood cells of a different kind.
The bone marrow, i.e., the area that acute leukemia usually affects is the soft structure that resides within your bones and facilitates several activities. These cancer cells affect the bone marrow such that the marrow is unable to facilitate the growth of different parts of the body. Thus, in a state of lack of mature cells, these immature cells that are also referred to as Blasts, accumulate and continue to build up gradually in your body.
These cases of acute leukemia go by many names such as Acute Granulocytic Leukemia, Acute Myelocytic Leukemia, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, and Acute Non-Lymphocytic Leukemia.
If you are diagnosed with any form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, it is best to seek treatment for the condition before the situation worsens and cancer spreads to crucial organs of the body such as the liver, testicles, spleen, lymph nodes, spinal cord, and brain. Different people in different age groups ad demographics experience varying effects and symptoms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, however, there are some common symptoms for which you need to keep a lookout and rush to a medical professional if you spot more than two of these effects.
12 Symptoms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia
In order to recognize the acute myeloid leukemia symptoms and seek treatment, you first need to know what the possible symptoms of this condition are. So, here are the acute myeloid leukemia symptoms that you need to check for periodically and seek medical attention at the onset of them:
- High or very high fever
- Severe or mild headaches
- Swelling in the gums
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Finding unusual, unexplained bruises ad wounds on the body.
- Unusual bleeding of any cuts and abrasions.
- A considerably higher number of infections
- Losing appetite
- Rapidly losing weight
- Small red spots appear on different parts of the body. These are known as petechiae.
- Swelling in the spleen
- Detecting swelling in the liver.
If left undetected and untreated, acute myeloid leukemia has the potential to become fatal. Thus, it is important to get an acute myeloid leukemia prognosis at the onset of acute myeloid leukemia symptoms.
If you notice any of these acute myeloid leukemia symptoms, first consult with your physician to conduct the tests for possible disorders. If the reports indicate an onset of acute leukemia, seek a recommendation for the best oncologist who deals with cases of blood cancers or approach an oncologist with years of experience in treating cases of acute myeloid leukemia or similar cases.
5 Possible Prognosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia
As we have mentioned, conducting an acute myeloid leukemia prognosis is not easy. It requires one or more of the following tests based on the type of infection or acute myeloid leukemia symptoms that you have:
- Blood tests are the aptest way to determine the number of different red and white blood cells in your body along with an approximate count of the platelets. It even indicates the presence of any blast cells with a smear test.
- Imaging tests are great ways to identify the causes of certain symptoms by simply running MRIs, CT scans, Ultrasounds, and even X-rays. They adequately show if there are any infections ailing your system and in some cases, they may show how the cells of cancer are spreading through your body.
- Testing the bone marrow is also a viable means to locating any cells of acute myeloid leukemia. The doctor collects a sample of your blood, bone, and marrow with a thin needle and has it tested in the lab under a microscope to identify the presence of acute leukemia.
- Spinal Tap is a test conducted by taking a sample of your cerebrospinal fluid using a needle. This procured sample is then tested for the presence of acute myeloid leukemia cells. This process is also referred to as a Lumbar Puncture.
- Genetic Tests are also great ways to determine the chromosomes and genes present in the body. They even help track the changes caused by the effects of acute myeloid leukemia.
If your doctor diagnoses you with a case of acute leukemia, seek treatment as early as possible before the situation worsens and the condition becomes fatal.
Treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia
The cancer cells in acute myeloid leukemia tend to move and spread rather rapidly through the body. If you receive an acute myeloid leukemia prognosis, your doctor will most probably advise one of the following methods of treatment:
Remission Induction Therapy
As the name suggests, this type of treatment therapy for acute leukemia involves using remission at the affected cells of leukemia in the blood or in your bone marrow. The doctors attempt to remove any traces of the cancerous cells so as to allow the body to reduce the number of new cancer cells as well. In most cases of treatment, the patient is able to eliminate any signs of the disease and recoup completely.
Consolidation Therapy
This type of therapy usually follows a Remission Induction Therapy as post-remission induction therapy. It is mostly used to treat cases of cancerous cells from acute myeloid leukemia that are left behind after remission therapy. The procedure ensures that any remaining trace of the cancerous cells is immediately eliminated from your body, be it in your blood, marrow, etc.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a serious and fatal disease. If you spot any of the acute myeloid leukemia symptoms in yourself or a loved one, get a professional prognosis at the earliest to deal with the situation.
Under no circumstance should you ever allow a case of acute myeloid leukemia to fester on its own or the situation could become dire. You need to find an appropriate doctor and seek suitable forms of treatment at the earliest.
